Target-derived neurotrophic factors regulate the death of developing forebrain neurons after a change in their trophic requirements.

@article{Lotto2001TargetderivedNF,
title={Target-derived neurotrophic factors regulate the death of developing forebrain neurons after a change in their trophic requirements.},
author={R. Beau Lotto and Pundit Asavaritikrai and L{\'a}szl{\'o} V{\'a}li and David J Price},
journal={The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience},
year={2001},
volume={21 11},
pages={
3904-10
}
}

Many neurons die as the normal brain develops. How this is regulated and whether the mechanism involves neurotrophic molecules from target cells are unknown. We found that cultured neurons from a key forebrain structure, the dorsal thalamus, develop a need for survival factors including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) from their major target, the cerebral cortex, at the age at which they innervate it. Experiments in vivo have shown that rates of dorsal thalamic cell death are reduced… CONTINUE READING